After a lot of contemplation, I am not going to beat around the bush when it comes to my opinions on this. I'm going to be upfront and honest with what I see here, so let's get to it. These questions originate from separatist groups that are feeding on public frustration about the economy and the justice system by finding someone to blame. Don't believe me? Just look at their signs. They want you to vote yes to questions 1-9.

The UCP membership, which is now controlled by separatists, are the ones demanding these questions be asked. Danielle Smith is asking them to try and save her own political skin. If she doesn't ask the question, then she risks the UCP membership voting her out as leader, and she then also ceases to be the Premier. Think about that for a moment. A referendum that isn’t needed; done at a cost of well over $130 million that is paid by taxpayers so she can try and save herself. Danielle Smith decided to put these questions on a referendum ballot. She chose to hold the referendum outside of a general election, which will almost certainly (based on historical numbers) lead to low voter turnout; except of course for those who want to separate. This is what her supporters want. Why do separatists support her? I'll leave that to you, but is this what you expect from your government?

When these questions were announced, the Premier specifically pointed out the costs associated with new comers when it comes to education and health care. She quite literally blamed her budget problems and public service pressures on immigrants and asked for your support in her taking more control over federal court appointments. She didn't mention that Canada transfers money to Alberta to support the many immigrants who are refugees. Smith just lumped all new comers together as immigrants and specified the budget shortfalls. She also conveniently left out the recent reforms to immigration at the federal level and the recent decline in Canada's population due to these policies. Yes, Trudeau messed up the system, but he's gone and federal policies have changed. See Statistics Canada for more details on those numbers. 

As an aside, the UCP were the ones that started the Alberta is Calling campaign. They did it without any plan or investment in public services to accommodate for even the amount of people they wanted to come, let alone the amount of people that showed up. The resulting squeeze to education and health care are self-inflicted wounds that could have been planned for, but they weren't.

Since the beginning of her time as Premier, Danielle Smith has been trying to make it easier and easier for the separation question to be asked. As one example, she lowered the signature requirements for citizen led referendum petitions, which conveniently didn't happen until after Forever Canada finished their petition campaign under higher requirements. While the separation petition was being conducted, Smith called the first 9 questions.  She called them in anticipation that the separatist petition would succeed and wanted them asked at the same time. This is all an orchestrated attempt to lean people towards separating from Canada, regardless of what she says. Let me explain. 

These questions on their own sound reasonable. They're meant to sound that way. But as we look at the questions and think about them, is there really anything reasonable that Alberta can do to control federal immigration levels or how federal court judges are appointed? No. Once an immigrant comes into Canada they, like everyone else, have the ability to move freely within Canada. The federal government also has jurisdictional control over federal court judge appointments just as Alberta has control over provincial court appointments. For Alberta to demand a say in who gets appointed as federal judges is like municipalities demanding that they have a say in who Alberta appoints as provincial judges. Do you think for one second that Danielle Smith would agree to that? Absolutely not! Do you trust the UCP to determine who an "Alberta approved" immigrant is? I wouldn't for one second.

Ask yourself this: "what type of governments blame immigrants for their problems and try to have more control over the courts?" If you're not sure, google it and then think about that very carefully. Why do they want to separate from Canada?

Phrased as they are, and in the order that they are, these questions are meant to further manufacture frustration and increase separation sentiment. The reality is that Alberta can do very little about any of these things, but just because we can't doesn't mean that we should be able to either. These questions are designed to lean you to voting yes, but then what? 

If the majority of people vote yes to questions 1-9, and no to asking a binding question on separation, then the UCP will begin trying to implement those through legislation. They will certainly be challenged all the way up to the supreme court. Meanwhile, the separatist groups behind Danielle Smith will point to the delays and the dismal potential of them winning any of those court cases. They will call it proof that Alberta should separate because you can't have what they convinced you that you should have. We'll be right back where we started with the demand to call a clear and binding question on separation. After all, their petition has now been verified by Elections Alberta. According to the law that Smith adjusted for them, their specific question as it is worded in the petition should be asked.

And I haven’t even gotten into the fact that there is no solid, coherent, dependable plan for separation. I’ve seen everything from using cryptocurrency as a national currency, to thinking Canada will be good to keep supplying us with its currency. It takes money to run a mint. If we don’t pay Canadian taxes, they won’t supply us with it. It’s one thing to have a national currency and accept another nation’s money; it’s another entirely to assume we can just use another country’s as our own.

What about pensions? There’s no solid answer there. How do we sustain our services if we cut the federal portion of the tax entirely? Oil? I’ve got news for the separatist folks. It’s not the commodity it used to be, and it’s extremely volatile. We were giving it away less than 10 years ago. What if that happens again? Do we borrow more money? Where does our military come from? Tax collection services? Do they think Canada will let non-citizens apply for Canadian passports? The start-up costs for all of this? Now they’re talking about securing a $500 billion loan from the US to help us get started. Wasn’t this supposed to be about making things better? What’s the annual interest on $500 billion? There’s goes the education system.

There are three groups of separatists. One thinks we should be our own country? The above questions apply. Another thinks we should join the US. Just compare the population we have with other US states and see what their federal representation is like. You think it’s hard being represented federally now? Try that. The last group wants to play with this fireball of a question just to gain leverage. Do they know Trudeau isn’t Prime Minister anymore? Carney is bending over backwards to give Alberta a hand with pipelines.

That last point makes this whole mess even more alarming when it comes to Danielle Smith’s actions. Sanctioning this referendum, stirring up separatist sentiment, all while shaking hands with the federal government. Her UCP base (the separatists) only makes up 17% of the electorate according to polls that measure people that mostly support her. She’s trying to pull in more voters by riding both sides, but you can only do that for so long before you fall on your… well you get it.

This won't stop unless the majority of Albertans stand up and say NO to questions 1-9 and Option 1 for staying in Canada. That is how I'll be voting. That is where I stand.

I expect more from government than scapegoating others for their problems and not taking responsibility for their actions. I expect more than the spending of taxpayer funds to save someone's political career. It's time to demand better. It's what you deserve.